Family Ties
by d7-Poet
Summary: It's a Final Fantasy VIII story that tells a little bit more about Squall, Seifer, and Rinoa's childhood.  Not all at one time though!  First chapter is just Squall though!


I don't own Final Fantasy VIII and all that stuff. You guys should be smart enough to figure that out.   
  
Ok, so this is my second fic. Laguna tell's Squall that big secret and if you don't know what I'm talking about I would suggest that you don't read the rest of this because it's a huge spoiler in the game. Anyway, I was tired of all the shouting matches that other people write about, so I decided on something a little more comical.   
  
There's a lot more on the way that doesn't quite fit in with what the game says, but that doesn't matter, because this is my story.   
  
Oh if you could think of a title for this piece I would love you forever. This fic has gone through more names than Prince, or was that the artist formerly known as Prince, or the Artist formerly know as the artist formerly know Prince, or is he back on that funky symbol thing again? Oh well, it's hard to keep up on this stuff.  
  
Bah...here's the story...  
  
-- - -----  
  
Family Ties  
  
"Look at me," Cid commanded. The young SeeD, reluctantly obeyed. "No...I want you to really look at me. I'm old, Squall. I know it and I know you know it too. It's for the best."  
  
"I understand sir, but it's just tha---"   
  
"No 'buts' young man." Cid interupted. "Garden has changed and so..." He trailed off as his eyes fell upon Quistis waiting impatiently at the entrance to his former office.  
  
"I hate to interupt," she began, "But the President of Esthar is waiting downstairs."  
  
Cid was silent for a moment. "Oh...OH! Yuh-yes! Of course. How could I forget? Have him come right up." Cid answered. Squall heaved a sigh of relief knowing that he was off the hook, at least for now.  
  
-- - -----  
  
"Right this way, sir." Quistis directed.   
  
She was standing in front of the elevator, when she noticed that Laguna was no longer with her. Instead, he was loitering at the bottom of the stairs, mumbling something to himself.   
  
"Mr. Loire!" Quistis whispered harshly, trying to keep her voice down. It was getting late, and most of the students were already asleep in the dorms.   
  
Nevertheless, Laguna still paced back and forth at the bottom of the stairs, completely unaware of his guide. He was trying to remember something. It was on the tip of his tongue. He almost had it, but the sound of Quistis clearing her throat sent the thought flying back into some unreachable crevice of his memory. He looked up and saw Quistis standing at the top of the stairs, obviously annoyed. "Oh, I-I'm sorry!" Laguna apologized, climbing the stairs two at a time. "You know what they say, I lost my mind."  
  
"I'll say..." Quistis muttered under her breath. "I think you meant you were lost in thought." she added as an afterthought.  
  
"Same thing, Kir--tis." Laguna answered catching himself just in time. He scratched at the back of his head, a nervous habit. Neither spoke, leaving them in an uncomfortable silence.   
  
"Anyway," Quistis nearly whispered, "if you would just follow me, I'll take you upstairs."  
  
"Ummm...oh yeah!" Laguna half-shouted, remembering why he came here to begin with.  
  
-- - -----  
  
"Squall? Squall, I ahhh...I just remembered I have some uhhh...some work to do in my ummm...my office." Cid lied, and rather poorly.  
  
"You're sitting at your desk, sir." Squall observed with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Would you look at that! This ~IS~ my desk! I guess I could really use some rest. Goodnight, Squall!" He declared as he aimlessly moved a few papers on his desk, then rather hasitly, headed for the doors. Laguna shrieked when he found that as his hand passed near the doors they flew open.   
  
"Hello, Mr. Kramer! How ya doin'?" Laguna greeted, quickly regaining his composure.   
  
"Very-good-thank-you!" Cid replied, giving the president's hand a quick squeeze. He whispered something to Quistis before making his escape.  
  
"Cid and I are going to the Training Center, to check up on the students." She reported before giving Laguna a light push and swiftly shutting the doors. Squall didn't know what to think of what just happened. Instead, he found himself staring at the spot where Cid stood moments ago.   
  
"Um...Hi Squall! I didn't see ya over there!" Laguna greeted, and exteneded his hand for a friendly handshake.  
  
"Pleasure to see you again, President Loire." Squall responded automatically, saluting the president.  
  
"Oh, no need for all that." Laguna replied as pink not so slowly crept into his cheeks.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Loire." Squall answered, still without thinking.  
  
"Don't call me that!" Laguna whined. "Do I ~look~ like a president to you?"  
  
"Well," Squall began, observing Laguna's casual dress. He wore a light blue T-shirt, darker blue jeans and white sneakers. His hair was carelessly pulled back into a loose pony tail. "How shall I address you then?"  
  
"Well, the thing is...I wanted to tell you...Cause I'm your...I wish you would call me daaaa..." He trailed off. "Dat ummm...other name that errr...my friend used to call me. Not that they don't called me that anymore, it's just that they called me that first and that was in the past which is why I used the past tense and I...what I really meant is that people still call me that today, it's just that other people called me that before, that's all. You follow me?"  
  
Squall just stared at him blankly.  
  
Laguna uneasily shifted his weight as he attempted to strike up the conversation again. "So uhhh, you were the one who was buzzing in my head, huh?"  
  
".......Whatever." Squall answered, dismissing the question with a wave of his hand. He was obviously not interesting in continuing the conversation.  
  
"So I guess you ahhh...you learned some pretty interesting things these past few months, right?" Laguna tried once more.  
  
'Yeah I learned that you're still a bumbling idiot. You just talk and talk and talk and expect me to listen and be interested! Wait...why are you even here? Why would the president of Esthar come all the way to Balamb Garden? Why would he want to talk to me? What do I have to do with this moron?' So many questions came flooding to Squall, and he was unable to answer any of them.  
  
"Whoa!" Laguna exclaimed, completely amazed. He waved his hand in front of Squall's face. "Anyone home?" He asked knocking on Squall's head, then watched as the teen joined him back in reality. "So, uhhh...How far back can you remember? 'Cause of the GF and stuff?" Laguna questioned, still unsuccessfully trying to get the conversation rolling.  
  
"How should I know?" Squall shrugged. "The GF made me forget." It was a bad excuse and Squall knew it, but it was late and he just wanted to get some sleep.  
  
"Squall, the real reason I came here...I ummm...I...uhhh..." Laguna mumbled only halfway intelligibly. "Sodidjaevawondabowtyurparenseranythin?" He finally blurted.  
  
"What!?" was the only word that came to Squall's lips.  
  
Laguna realized that he was going to have to get this over with sooner or later, and that sooner would probably be better. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Squall closed his eyes and shook his head, but his lids snapped open when he heard a crash. Laguna had disappeared along with about half the items scattered on top of Cid's desk.  
  
"Sorry, but could you help me?" the carpet begged. "My leg cramped up, and *BOOM* all of a sudden here I was on the floor." Squall understood when he saw the president sprawled out on the floor.  
  
'Maybe I was thinking too much before. Laguna's just a little weird, the same person that I met in the 'dream-world'. Still a klutz and his leg cramps up when he's...nervous? What did he have to be nervous about?' Squall just shook off the thought as he helped Laguna to his feet and offered him a chair.   
  
"Th-thank you. I came here to tell you something. You might be sort of, well...surprised. Just promise me you won't get mad. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner, but just promise you won't get mad." Asked a completely different man than the one that Squall just helped off the floor. There was a sudden hint of urgency and seriousness to his voice.  
  
"Whatever."   
  
"Promise me." He pleaded.  
  
"I promise, I promise."  
  
"Well you remember how Ellone and her baby 'brother' were sent to an orphanage while I was away?"  
  
Squall nodded wondering where this was going and why it would make him angry.  
  
"An orphanage run by Cid and Edea Kramer."  
  
Squall was speechless. Why didn't he see this before?  
  
"Well I don't really know how I should say this but...but that boy ummm...his name was...his name...it was..."  
  
"Squall." he whispered his own name, as if for the first time.   
  
"Well, that's all I came here to say and ummm..." Laguna said getting up.  
  
"So that makes you my...father?" Squall said more as a statement than a question.  
  
"Well, yeah. I guess that does." Laguna forced a laugh as the scratched the back of his head. "So I'll errr...I'll just be going now." Laguna whispered as he hobbled a few steps toward the door.  
  
"You think you can tell me you're my father who I thought was DEAD! and then just leave like nothing happened?" Squall shouted.  
  
"Yes...well...no...but..." Laguna stuttered.  
  
Squall looked at the man. It was impossible to stay mad at him. He looked somewhat comical as he stood there, helpless, and unable to decide whether he should stay or go.  
  
"We've got a lot of catching up to do...dad." 


End file.
